


water not quite under the bridge

by tangentiallly



Category: A Series of Unfortunate Events (TV), A Series of Unfortunate Events - Lemony Snicket
Genre: Arguing, F/F, Open Relationships, Pre-Canon, netflix!canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-29
Updated: 2020-08-29
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:47:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26172955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tangentiallly/pseuds/tangentiallly
Summary: Ever since Esme started teaming up with Olaf in schemes again, Georgina had been visibly colder.
Relationships: Georgina Orwell/Esmé Squalor
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9





	water not quite under the bridge

**Author's Note:**

> disclaimer: I don't own ASOUE

It took Esme a while to pinpoint exactly why Georgina had been visibly colder and more passive aggressive recently. Usually, Georgina could be irritable or visibly annoyed sometimes after a long day of work, but Esme could tell that this time it was different.

Finally, after turning over different possibilities in her head and testing Georgina’s reactions by saying different things, Esme could make the confident guess Georgina’s recent attitude had been caused by her and Olaf partnering up for a couple of schemes again after a few years of going their own ways.

Still, Esme was still not sure how exactly Georgina was annoyed by that. For one, Esme and Olaf weren’t dating, or even sleeping together. But even if they had been, it shouldn’t be Georgina’s concerns. It’s not like she and Esme were exclusive, after all. Georgina had no problems with Esme’s various flings in the financial district.

Perhaps Olaf was naturally annoying in nature and Georgina simply disliked him. But Georgina disliked a lot of people, usually in a mildly disdainful way, usually looking down on them for being goody two shoes volunteers. Those people, while annoying her, didn’t generally elicit such a response.

“Georgina, darling,” Esme finally decided to bring up the subject one day, because she simply couldn’t stand not knowing anymore. At this point, it was just plain confusing. “You’ve been … _agitated_ , lately.” She remarked, climbing onto Georgina’s couch along with her. It wasn’t the innest design like Esme’s glittery couch back in her own apartment, but it was perhaps more comfortable. Classic designs occasionally had its perks, not that Esme would openly admit that.

Georgina looked at her coolly. Agitated was not really an accurate word, Esme mused, but she didn’t want to use the ‘cold’ or ‘distant’ as she thought it would make her sound needy. This way, she sounded concerned. Understanding. 

And then Georgina scoffed. “I don’t do _‘agitated_ ’, Esme.”

“Perhaps not,” Esme indulged. “But something’s bothering you, isn’t it?” She paused to consider, and then rephrased. “Or rather, _someone._ ”

“A lot of people bother me,” Georgina said with a shrug. “That’s the nature of people. They are rather bothersome.”

It seemed like she was not going to confess that easily. Esme decided to prod more, but not before some light flirtations first. “Even me?” She asked, teasingly.

“You can also be spectacularly bothersome,” Georgina permitted airily. “Like right now.”

“Darling, you know that’s only because I care about you,” Esme protested, in a slightly dramatic manner. Georgina rolled her eyes. “But seriously, Georgina, I can see you’re rather unhappy lately. After I’ve been teaming up with Olaf. So I’ll just be direct - is something wrong?”

Georgina narrowed her eyes. “If you think something is wrong, then why are you still working with him?”

Esme frowned. “Because I have no idea what _is_ wrong. You didn’t tell me anything.”

Georgina studied her silently, and Esme sighed. “I can be very good at reading people, sure, but ultimately, I’m not a mind reader. I can’t just touch a crystal ball and know what you’re thinking.”

“I thought that’s supposed to tell you about futures or other such types of nonsense, not read minds,” Georgina commented.

Esme waved her hand impatiently. “Yeah, well, that’s all make pretend anyway. Don’t change the subject.”

Georgina folded her arms across her chest. “Fine,” she said, voice clipped.

“Listen, G, I’m not sleeping with him, if that’s what you’re thinking. But even if I was - that’s my personal business. We aren’t exclusive, you know. I didn’t take any issue when you hooked up with J.”

Georgina rolled her eyes. “I know we’re not exclusive, this isn’t about that.”

Esme felt her patience running out. “What exactly is this about, then? Because something is bothering you and you’re not telling me.”

“If you don’t know, it’s not really any of your business,” Georgina said shortly. “Do whatever you want. I don’t care. I just don’t think you’d have such horrendous taste.”

Esme huffed in annoyance. “How many times do I have to say, it’s not like that between me and him? We’re merely business partners. Friends, perhaps, but hardly a close one.”

“Then you have poor taste in picking business partners, then,” Georgina said, unmoved. “Still not my business.”

“But _you_ ruining our quality time together by being petulant is _my_ business,” Esme retorted. “If it’s not about that, why do you care if I’m scheming with Olaf? It could hardly be that you want us to be exclusive in plotting crimes, but not other things.”

Georgina scoffed.

“So I can only conclude it’s about Olaf.” Esme said. She frowned. “I know you two aren’t too fond of each other, but who I do business or crimes with is my decision, based mostly on how much profit I get to make. Nobody else controls that. It’s not like I’m bringing him over and forcing you two to have tea together, I don’t see why you have a problem with it.”

“I’m not telling you not to do anything, am I?” Georgina retorted sharply. “Do whatever you like.”

“If you give me an explanation, you know I’ll listen, right?” Esme said impatiently. “You know I’m reasonable.”

Georgina didn’t say anything.

“Answer me this, then, Georgina,” Esme said finally. “Do you hate him? I’m not talking about dislike, or does he annoy you. I mean, do you _hate_ him?”

Georgina’s expression looked tight and cold, so Esme supposed that’s an answer itself.

“What did he do?” Esme asked, quieter now.

Georgina sighed. “Nothing,” She paused, “that I want to explain while sober.”

Esme studied Georgina, and nodded slowly. “In that case, I’ll get that wine from your kitchen.”

**Author's Note:**

> [come say hi on tumblr](https://beatricebidelaire.tumblr.com)


End file.
